


Freedom in the Woods

by Insane1001



Category: The Walking Dead (TV), The Walking Dead - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 15:51:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3816181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insane1001/pseuds/Insane1001
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl can't stay in Alexandria, Shane can't stay without Daryl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Freedom in the Woods

Daryl knew this place was to good to be true for the likes of him, he was always going to be the outsider the one everyone blamed the scapegoat when bad things happened.  
He couldn’t live this life he never had, even when he had been a child he had lived in shack that had barely fit the three of them.

The group had all settled in the town, slowly becoming part of the community while Daryl had remained outcasted, he had come to the town because he knew that Carl and Judith needed a chance and Shane had wanted to give it a go he had remained itching for the woods where he belonged, where he had always belonged.

He had tried for the kids and he had tried for Shane but now it was time for him to go with or without Shane.

Rick stared at Daryl in shock  
“You want to what” he managed to choke out  
“Leave” Daryl murmured  
“Why would you want to do that Daryl”  
“Cause I don’t belong here” “You do belong here” “Don’t make shit up Rick I know I don’t they’d never understand me and I don’t think I understand my family any more, you can’t change my mind I'll be gone before the sun rises”  
“What about Shane”  
“I’m going to tell him now its his choice whether he stays or go’s” Rick watched as Daryl stood and walked out leaving him wondering how they had got to this point.

Shane hadn’t been hard to find he was relaxing out on a piece of lawn with a beer in one hand. Shane looked up when he got close enough and had made some noise to alert the other man when he had seen Daryl he had scrambled to his feet  
“Hey babe” and brought him in for a kiss Daryl relaxed pulling away  
“I gotta talk to you bout somethin Shane” he had nodded  
“Sure what do ya need to talk about” Daryl swallowed feeling nervous  
“I’m leaving tomorrow for good I’m gonna head out I can’t stay here” Shane’s grin had completely dropped from his face  
“What? What are you talkin bout you can’t leave” Daryl shook his head  
“No, Shane I tried, I’ve tried to settle in become part of the community they all look at me like some hindrance like some monster they can’t control, I’m itchin to get out in the woods again where I belong” a frown had settled on Shane’s face   
“What about this” he motioned to the two of us  
“Do you not care about us this relationship” Daryl had started shaking his head when Shane started his sentence   
“No, Shane I care about us I love you but I can’t stay here and I’m not forcing you to come with me it’s your decision whether you come or go” Shane shook his head  
“Don’t make me choose Daryl please you both mean so much to me”  
“M’sorry Shane I'll be leaving before the sun rises you do what you have to” Shane watches as Daryl moved away how was he meant to choose.

The rest of the day passed slowly and so did the night Daryl kept a distance from everyone making sure he didn’t have to talk to any one from the community or his group, once the sky started to lighten but the sun had not risen he had started for the gate where Deanna the third and last person he had told he was leaving. He didn’t look for any other people roaming the streets he didn’t think he could bare it if he saw Shane watching him but not following so he moved swiftly, Deanna was waiting for him Rick by her side and Shane nowhere to be seen stopping in front of Rick as Deanna opened the gate.  
“You don’t have to leave Daryl we could work something out” Daryl shook his head  
“It’s to late now tell every one I love them and they are family I always wanted but never had” Rick nodded  
“Your always welcome among us Daryl remember that, you will always be part of that family and if we are ever on the road again we shall look out for you” Daryl nodded   
“Thanks Rick” moving towards the open gate with nothing but his crossbow  
“I’m gonna head back to Georgia back down to the woods I’m familiar with look out for me if you ever passing by” Rick nodded a tear slipping through his eyes as he watched Daryl walk away and slowly disappear into the woods his figure becoming one with the woods like he never left.

Shane was cursing himself after not being able to sleep most the night he had dozed off and the sun had risen and he had missed Daryl he had packed the night before and told Rick of his decision, Rick had replied with “I figured that, he’s gonna need someone else out there that he can lean on Shane”   
He arrived at the gate Deanna and Rick were talking and had looked up at hearing him walk up  
“Shane?”  
“Daryl?” Rick shook his head  
“He’s already left Shane”  
“Which direction I gotta catch up” Rick nodded   
“He said he was gonna head back to the woods he was familiar with” Shane nodded as Deanna started opening the gates  
“Gonna miss you brother but my future is with Daryl” Rick nodded  
“Look us up if you ever out that way okay”  
“Sure will brother” and they both hugged before Shane stepped out and Rick watched Shane leave in search for Daryl.

Daryl didn’t let himself think about Shane as he moved through the woods his body on instinct going into silent hunter mode he made good progress never stopping and never slowing down he didn’t stop until the night was starting to fall and he found a tree he could settle in for the night, he managed to shoot a squirrel and after hoisting himself up into the tree cut it open and started eating the flesh he would be fine as long as he didn’t touch the organs. Everything had been quiet the groans of a walker not to far away kept him alert but other than that he allowed himself to relax until he heard the almost quiet footsteps of a human tensing Daryl straightened up moving to a crouch with knife in hand and waited.

Shane was starting to get tired and that was dangerous he was gonna so something stupid the way he was going, but he needed to find Daryl murmuring that chant other his breath he kept moving.

Daryl stilled the moment he heard his name slowly positioning himself he dropped out of the tree the moment whoever it was reached it, dropping in front of him only to stop in shock  
“Shane” Shane was standing there having gone on the defensive when a figure had dropped in front of him  
“Daryl” Shane had reached out pulling Daryl to his chest  
“Shane what tha hell are you doing here you now its dangerous to be out at night” Shane still had his arms wrapped around Daryl  
“I was looking for you, I fell asleep and didn’t wake up” Daryl turned his head in confusion  
“You were gonna come with me” Shane nodded  
“Course” The sound of a walker groaning and shuffling had them pulling apart and Daryl moving to scale the tree he jumped from an annoyed Shane following muttering under his breath  
“A tree you had to sleep in a tree why does that not surprise me” Daryl just ignored him once they were settled Shane with Daryl sitting in between his legs his back to Shane’s front and Shane’s hands on his hips.

Daryl had been drifting off when Shane started speaking  
“Y’now I never would have stayed” Daryl turned his head slightly   
“I’d never leave you or let you be by yourself I spent the life before this with Rick I wanna spend this life with you” Daryl grinned softly  
“I’d like to spend this life with ya to” he murmured he felt Shane press his face to the back of his neck breathing in  
“I’d though I’d lost you when I woke up and you were gone” Daryl tensed a little  
“I’d thought you had decided I wasn’t worth it, that you could do better” Shane had stopped  
“Daryl I'm never gonna grow tired of you, you know that right” Daryl dropped his head a little he felt Shane frown  
“You mean so much to me Daryl I'd never leave you willingly” Shane continued to wrap his arms around Daryl’s waist and pull him flush to his chest  
“I love you”   
“Love you to”

8 Years Later  
Daryl watched the teeth plunge into Shane’s neck he had turned to late the hands had griped Shane and he had turned only to see Shane staring at him horror filling his eyes. Daryl moved quickly shooting the walker with a bolt and grabbed Shane before he fell, Shane gripped his shoulder as Daryl helped him move sitting him down, Daryl practically straddled his thighs and held Shane’s face in his hands  
“This is all my fault I shoula been paying more attention” Shane shook his head wincing at the pain  
“No, Daryl s’not your fault jus bad luck and bad timing” Shane hissed in pain and Daryl frantically ripped part of his shirt and pressed the fabric to the bite Shane just shook his head  
“No, Daryl” he rasped sweat covering his brow and the pale complexion starting to set in  
“I want you to be the last face I see don’t let me turn into one of those fuckers” Daryl’s eyes filled with tears but he nodded  
“All right” Daryl stilled leaning forward he pressed his lips to Shane’s, grabbing his hunting knife and pulling it out of its holder he pulled back and put their foreheads together  
“I love you Shane I love you so much” Shane nodded  
“I love you too babe, love you so much Daryl” Daryl let the tears fall as he raised his hand and plunged the knife into Shane’s forehead and watched as the Shane’s eyes fell dim his body going limb  
“I love you Shane”


End file.
